UNOFFICIAL COPY AS OF 11/16/1802 REG. SESS.02 RS BR 814
A JOINT RESOLUTION naming the "Senator Kelsey E. Friend Road" in Pike County.
WHEREAS, Kelsey Evans Friend was born on March 18, 1922, in Pike County, Kentucky, the son of the late James Pembroke and Clarcia Mullins Friend; and
WHEREAS, Kelsey Friend attended Pikeville College and taught at the Blairtown Grade School until drafted into the Army in 1942 to serve in World War II, where he was wounded in action, receiving the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and other commendations; and
WHEREAS, Kelsey Friend graduated from the University of Kentucky Law School in 1949 and earned his Masters of Laws degree from Duke University in 1950; and
WHEREAS, Kelsey Friend began his lengthy political career by serving as the Master Commission for the 35th Judicial District from 1950 to 1952, and later served as Pike County Attorney from 1954 to 1957 and as Commonwealth's Attorney from 1958 to 1963; and
WHEREAS, Kelsey Friend made his greatest mark on the life and history of Pike County and the Commonwealth during his two stints as Senator from the 31st Senatorial District, from 1972 to 1980, and from 1984 to 1996; and
WHEREAS, As a Senator, Kelsey Friend served honorably as the Majority Whip from 1976 to 1978, as Chairman of the Criminal Judiciary Committee in 1988, and as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee from 1990 to 1996; and
WHEREAS, Senator Kelsey Friend, during his tenure in the Senate, also served as a member of the Economic Development and Labor Committee, the Labor and Industry Committee, the State Government Committee, the Civil Judiciary Committee, and also served as Vice-chairman of the Energy Committee; and
WHEREAS, Senator Kelsey Friend worked tirelessly to bring hope and progress to his section of the Commonwealth, helping to secure funding for major highway projects such as US 23 and US 119, expansion of the Pike County Regional Airport, and spearheading passage of legislation which created the Depressed Counties Economic Development Authority, which has helped create over 700 jobs in Pike County alone; and
WHEREAS, Senator Kelsey Friend's intellect, reason, and persistence made a deep impression on his colleagues in the General Assembly, one of whom said, "When he stood to speak, the rest of the Senators turned to look because they knew the Senator from Pike had something to say and he knew what he was talking about."; and
WHEREAS, Kelsey Friend left this earth on August 25, 2001, having lived his seventy-nine years by the simple saying from the Book of Proverbs which best describes him: "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."; and
WHEREAS, Kelsey Friend is survived and mourned by his wife, Margaret Earp Friend; a daughter, Clarissa Friend; two sons, Kelsey Friend, Jr. and Joe Jett Friend; six grandchildren and one great-grandchild; and
WHEREAS, Kelsey Friend is also mourned across the length and breadth of this Commonwealth and will forever be remembered for his legacy of public service and caring for the citizens of Kentucky;
NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
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BR081400.100-814
UNOFFICIAL COPY AS OF 11/16/1802 REG. SESS.02 RS BR 814
Section 1. The members of the General Assembly, both individually and collectively, do hereby posthumously proclaim Kelsey Friend, the Senator from Pike, to have been an outstanding citizen and exemplary representative of the Commonwealth.
Section 2. The Transportation Cabinet shall name the road currently under construction to connect United States Route 23 to the Pike County Regional Airport, the "Senator Kelsey E. Friend Road."
Section 3. The Transportation Cabinet shall, within thirty days of the effective date of this Resolution, erect signs on the road specified in Section 2 of this Act that read "Senator Kelsey E. Friend Road."
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BR081400.100-814